The Autumn 2011 Season at Sadler’s Wells

The Autumn season at Sadlers Wells contains precious little classical ballet, with just two companies visiting and a repeat of the summer shows for Sylvie Guillem, which I’ve included in the list.

Sylvie Guillem6000 miles away

Thursday 22 – Sunday 25 September

Tickets: £10 – £45
Internationally acclaimed dancer Sylvie Guillem has conceived a new evening of work by three of the most important choreographers working today: Mats Ek, William Forsythe, and Jiří Kylián. This is the second run of performances following July’s world premiere.

After their successful collaboration in Wet Woman and Smoke, Swedish choreographer Mats Ek presents Ajö (Bye), a new solo created especially for Guillem set to Beethoven’s last piano sonata. William Forsythe choreographs a brand new duet for Guillem and one of Teatro alla Scala’s biggest stars, Massimo Murru. Completing the evening is a work by former Artistic Director of Nederlands Dans Theater, Jiří Kylián.

Birmingham Royal Ballet returns with two contrasting evenings; La Fille mal gardée and Autumn Glory, a triple bill of ballets from the heart of Britain’s dance heritage.

An engaging and charming love story, La Fille mal gardée was choreographed in 1960 by Frederick Ashton and tells the story of a love triangle between country beauty Lise, her true love Colas, and Alain, the son of a rich vineyard owner.

This season’s triple bill, Autumn Glory, features Ninette de Valois’ Checkmate, with a score by Sir Arthur Bliss and iconic designs by E. McKnight Kauffer; Frederick Ashton’s Symphonic Variations performed by six dancers to one of César Franck’s finest works and Pineapple Poll, choreographed by John Cranko and danced to a medley of Gilbert and Sullivan.

Scottish Ballet

Double Bill

Thursday 3 & Friday 4 November

Tickets: £10 – £40

After 2009’s hugely successful 40th anniversary performances at Sadler’s Wells, Scottish Ballet returns with a double bill originally unveiled at this year’s Edinburgh International Festival.

Kenneth MacMillan’s Song of the Earth was created for Stuttgart Ballet in 1965 at the invitation of Artistic Director John Cranko. Set to a live performance of Mahler’s song cycle Das Lied von der Erde, the lyrics which were translated from a collection of eighth century Chinese poems offering bittersweet reflections on human emotion, Song of the Earth explores man’s struggle to accept mortality.

Resident Choreographer at Boston Ballet, Finnish-born Jorma Elo creates a new work for Scottish Ballet which features costumes by Yumiko Takeshima and is set to Mozart’s First Violin Concerto and music by Steve Reich.